Society Editor
By Tolu Adesuwa Igiehon
A 46-year-old man, Livinus Aniegbunam Okoh, has been arraigned before a Magistrate Court in Enugu for allegedly killing his wife, Onyinyechi Okoh, with an axe at their home in Amuri, Nkanu West Local Government Area of Enugu State.
Okoh was brought before Magistrate Uche Jideofor of Court 3, Enugu East Magisterial District, on a one-count charge of murder in the case marked CME/821C/2025 — Commissioner of Police vs. Livinus Aniegbunam Okoh. The case is being prosecuted by C.O. Ugwu and A.C. Amalu.
According to the police, the defendant attacked his wife around 4:00 a.m. on October 8, 2025, striking her with an axe on the lower jaw, which led to her death. The offence is said to contravene Section 274(1) of the Criminal Code, Cap 30, Vol. II, Revised Laws of Enugu State, which prescribes the death penalty for murder.
The charge sheet read:
“That you, Livinus Aniegbunam Okoh ‘m’, on the 8th day of October 2025, at about 4:00 a.m. at Umuedum Amuri, Nkanu West Local Government Area, within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court, did unlawfully kill one Onyinye Okoh (female), aged 46, by hitting her with an axe on the lower jaw, which led to her death.”
The accused has not yet entered a plea. Magistrate Jideofor ruled that the court lacked the jurisdiction to grant bail in a capital offence and ordered Okoh’s remand at the Enugu State Correctional Centre. The case file has been forwarded to the State Ministry of Justice for legal advice, and the matter was adjourned to December 17, 2025.
Meanwhile, the Enugu State Government has condemned the incident in strong terms. In a statement, the Commissioner for Children, Gender Affairs and Social Development, Mrs. Ngozi Enih, described the killing as a “heartbreaking reminder of the persistent and unacceptable menace of gender-based violence in our society.”
She urged the judiciary to ensure swift justice, stressing that violence against women “is a gross violation of human rights and contradicts our shared values of equality, respect, and dignity.”
Enih reaffirmed Governor Peter Mbah’s administration’s zero-tolerance stance on domestic violence and promised continued advocacy to protect women and girls across the state. She extended condolences to the bereaved family and urged community members to report all forms of abuse rather than remain silent.
“Silence only protects the perpetrators. The government will continue working with law enforcement agencies, the judiciary, and civil society to ensure justice and prevent future tragedies,” she added.
The shocking incident has reignited public outrage over rising cases of domestic violence and femicide across Nigeria, prompting calls for stronger preventive measures and harsher penalties for offenders.
